Adjustable index.



S,ANTH0NY. ADJUSTABLE INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.28.1913.

LlQfgl, 'Patented Jan. 5, i915,

Figi.

- STATES PATENT FFIQE.

sTaLYnNTrIONy, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIeNoR To RAPID EQUIPMENT 4contraint, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or SOUTH Daxoaa ADJUSTABLE INDEX.

7b all whom it may concern :Ile it known that I, STANLEY ANTIroNIf, a citizen ofthe United States, and residing at Boston, county of Suolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Adjustable Indexes, of which. the following description, in connection with the 'accompanying drawing, .is aspecifica'- tion', like characters on the drawing repre-4 .rial in which the index strip is placed and which is heldin the vguides of the holder.

The objects of my invention are to provide `an .improved form of holder and a sheath which can be readily inserted into or removed from .the holder Without breakring or cracking it, and which will more securely hold the index strip than devices of this nature as heretofore made.

' Referring to theA drawings wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention-, Figure 1 is afront view of ya portion. of an index having my improvement; -F-ig.2 is a section on' the linea-m, Fig. l1 showing the way in which the indicators arejr'emoved from or inserted into the holder; Fig. '3 is a section on the line :ye-Jy, Fig. l; Fig. i is an enlarged section on substantially the line v -a, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the rear side of one of the sheaths and illustrating the manner in which the index strips are removed; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an adjustable index tab; Fig. 7 is a view showing in perspective the front of a modiiied form of indicating member. A 1 indicates the holder or frame in which theseparateindicators are sustained, said holder being provided with a back 30 having at its edges holding lips 2 that extend substantially parallel to the back but are spaced therefrom and are adapted to receive the ends of the indicators. These indicators each comprise an index strip 3 of paper or other thin Hat material suitable for receiving data to be preserved,and a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten Jan. 5, 1915.

Application sied october ze, 191e. serial No. massa protective sheath 4 in which the strip is received, said 'sheath having a transparent front face through which the strip is visible. One of the features of novelty of my present invention resides in the form of this protective sheath.. I will preferably make it of a stiff, transparent, resilient material, such as Celluloid, and each sheath is formed from a strip of celluloid which is folded over. to present a closed tube-like structure in which the index strip 3 may be received,

the ends of this tube-like structure being open. In forming this sheath a blank ot Celluloid of the proper shape is takeny un it is folded once at right angles at the poin 5, thence again at the point 6 and again at the point 7, and then again at the point 8, and as the points 5 and 8 are situated a slight distance from the edges of the blank, the result is that an open-ended tube is formed having a double thickness on one side where the portions 9 and 10 of the material forming the sheath overlap. These overlapping portions 9 and 10 are cemented or otherwise connected together or they may be left disconnected as desired. IVhere the sheath is made of celluloid which is bent into this shape, the tube will hold its shape without cementing or otherwise connecting the overlapping edges together.

The sheath made tube-shaped as above described with the overlapping edges is extremely strong and can be repeatedly bent into the dotted line position, Fig. 2, for removal from or insertion into the holder l Without injury. Furthermore, by having the sheath in the form of a closed tube the paper strip 3 will be entirely inclosed in the sheath for its 'full length regardless of whether the sheath is in its initial straight position or is flexed into dotted line position, Fig. 2.

For removing an index strip from the sheath, I propose to form the latter on one side with 'open-ended slots 11 at each end into one of which slots a sharp implement 13 can be inserted to engage the index strip and move it laterally to permit it to be grasped by the hand.

In order to further stiifen the sheath and- The indicating portion 17 is shown as hav- -ing retaining lips 21- to hold van indicatingl strip 22 which can be readily removed from 1 tained inthe holder, I propose to incorporate within each sheath a stiiiening element, hereinshown in the form oi' a fiat strip 14 of resilient metal. This member 14 adds stiffness to each indicating m`ember, while permitting it to be readily removed from or inserted into the holder. desired, I may make the sheath of a length less than the distance between the lips 2, in which case the stiifening member 14: will be extended beyond the ends of the sheath a suiiicient distance to enter into and be retained in place by the guides. This construction is seen in Fig. 7.

Where the index Iis used to give 'a list of names, as shown in the drawings, it is desirable that some means be provided to readily distinguish between the names with different initial letters, and for this purpose I have provided an index tab memberwhich.

can be adjusted to any desired position on the holder. f

The index tab member herein shown is made to be adjustably sustained by the lips4 2, and it comprises a body porti .in 15 to one end oir` which is slidably secured a tab-sup-- porting member 16 having Van indicating portion 17 situated to extend beyond vthe edge of the holder when the index tab mem-v ber is in place. 'lhis tab-supporting member is herein shown as made from a piece of metal bent back on itself to present the two parts 18 and 19, the latter of which is bent laterally to form the extending part 20 and the-projecting tab or indicating portion 17.

or inserted in place under said lips.

The index tab member is inserted inthe desired .place in the holder by placing the end 23 of the body 15 .under one lip 2,' then v sliding the tab-supporting member 16 inwardly suiiiciently so that the end of the part 18 can be brought into position to enter behind the otherv1 lip 2, and then sliding the said tab-supporting member outwardly to carry the end. ofv part 18 under said lip.

When the index tab member is in place the indicating portion 17 thereof is situated beyond the edge of the holder and in position tobe readily seen.

The sliding connection between the tab.- supporting member 16 and the body 15 may be secured in any suitable way.` As herein shown, one of the parts has a slot 24 formed therein in which plays aheaded pin 25 carl ried by the other part. this construction providing sufficient frictional engagement 'be tween the partsvto hold them their adjusted positions.

l The tubular construction of the sheath has the advantage that it makes a reversible indicating member, both sides of which are transparent. After an indicating member has been in use for a considerable length of time it may become clouded somewhaty so that it is diicult to read the indicating strip through it. Whenthe exposed face of any indicating member thus becomes cloudy, said indicating member can be removed from the holder and reversed by turning the backside thereof to the front and the indicating strip can then be put .back into the sheath, thus providing a sheath with a fresh face. VMoreover, the continual bending of -the indicating member into the dotted line-position Fig. 2a is apt to give it a permanent set, and if this occurs with my invention, it is possible toy reverse the indicating member and thusjcorf rect any tendency therein to become perma-v nently curved.

The holder I have herein shown isprovided with lips 2 of double thickness,`the purpose being tomake a holder having lips of considerable strength. One convenient Way of making the holder is to'take a blank of -sheet metal and bend the edges back on themselves to form a portion of l.double thickness and then to bend thedoubled portioninto proper shape to ormthe lipsV 2; In Figs. 2 and 3 I-have shown a double sided holder which is made "from a single pieceof metal, it presenting on both sides thereof holding lips 2 of double thickness.` This holder is made from a single blank, the opposite edges of which are folded hack on themselves to present portions of double thickness and then these portions are bent, as shown in Figs. 2 and?) to present the lips` 2 of double thickness on eachside of the holder. 1

Having ,fully describedv my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adiustable index comprising a frame provided with oppositely disposed guides, ofa plurality of indicating members each comprising a protective sheath formed' of a piece of stiff, transparent, resilient material bent to form a closed tube an'd'with the meeting edges of the strip overlapping each otherand an index strip received in and 1lnclosed by each strip. o 4

2. An -ad'ustable index comprising Va frame provided with loppositely-disptrsed guides, a plurality of indicating members each comprising a protectivesheath formed offa piece ofstiff, transparent, resilient material bentto lform a closed tube'qandp'w'ith the .meetin'gledges of the strip overlapping eachother and an indexstrip received and inclosed each" sheath.. and la 'stitiening member of resilicnt'inafterial within and exh l I.

tending the length. oi. ,said sheath.

-8. An adjustable index coinprising a frame providedwith opposed guides, a. plu

rality of indicatingfmenibers ea'chlcomprislng a tube-like protective sheatho'f'resilient transparent material, an index strip reeeived in and inciosed by said sheath, and a stiiiening member of resilient materiai Within and extending the length of said sheath.

4. An index guide comprising a frame i provided With opposed guides, a pluraity of indicating members adjustably sustained by said guides and each comprising u reversible protective sheath of resilient material hevf ing a tube formation sind two opposed transparent faces, and an index strip received in 1.0 and inclosed by said sheath.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciication, in the piresenee of two subscribing Witnesses.

STANLEY ANTHONY.

Witnesses:

LOUIS C. SMrrH, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND. 

